This is a message for the next president of the United States. Here are a few facts the oil industry would like you to ignore. Each American uses, in our products and services, about 60 barrels of oil each year. In Japan and Western Europe, shorter distances and better efficiencies reduces this to about 30 barrels each year. Our usable reserves of oil on this planet will only last another 45 years. AND THAT’S OPTIMISTIC.

By 2100, the world will need more than three times the energy now coming from the oil, coal, and natural gas being produced each year. We will need at least 1,130 Quadrillion BTUs of energy. To generate even half of these BTUs using nuclear power would take 18,000 new reactors, more than we have money to build, the desire to live with, the fuel to fire up, and the waste storage facilities to handle. If a third of the land of the United States were covered with solar thermal concentrators, those highly advanced solar plants would only generate 5% of our global power needs. If we went to the max with every form of alternative energy we know, including solar, geothermal, biofuel, and tidal, it would provide only one third of the power we need by the year 2100. Using every existing energy generating technology, including coal, oil, nuclear, and alternative energy, we will still fall short of our energy needs in 2100 by a whopping 66%.

But what if we could tap an unlimited power source? What if we could create at least a million new jobs? What if we could become green and efficient in the process? What if we could remove the motivation for energy wars like our two military adventures in Iraq? What if we could restore this nation’s image as an innovator? What if we could make science fiction fantasies realities within our lifetimes? And what if we could do it all without using any imaginary technology, by using what we already know?

HOW CAN WE ACHIEVE THESE THINGS? Harvest solar power where it’s twice the strength on Earth. Harvest solar power where there is no night and the power of the sun is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. Harvest solar power where vast arrays of solar panels don’t destroy desert ecosystems. Harvest solar power where we already have 300 satellites with solar panels. Harvest solar power where we already have a $250-million-a-year telecommunications industry powered by the sun.

HARVEST SOLAR POWER IN SPACE. Space Based Solar Power can solve our long term energy crisis and more. By building solar power platforms in orbit around the Earth, we will have a sustainable, limitless power source that will fill in the missing two thirds of our energy needs by 2100. Solar platforms in space can be enormous and can gather 100% more energy per square inch than their ground-based cousins.

BUT WE NEED TO START NOW. We will need to pull this off before America’ alternative energy, oil, coal, and money to construct a space solar power infrastructure runs out. We will not do it because it is easy, but because it is hard. But not as hard — or expensive — as 18,000 new nuclear power plants. JAXA, the Japanese version of NASA, is already developing their own system for harvesting solar power in space.

THIS IS REAL. When it comes to energy, it’s time to drill up, not down. When it comes to energy, it’s time to LOOK TO THE SKY. Google “Space Based Solar Power”. Inform yourself.

NSS is an independent nonprofit nonpartisan educational membership organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. Our vision: People living and working in thriving communities beyond the Earth, and using the vast resources of space for the dramatic betterment of humanity.